DISA, GSA round out SATCOM business model

Federal officials have opened another avenue for advanced communications for agencies as the government expands the common marketplace for commercial satellite communications.

The General Services Administration and the Defense Information Systems Agency officials formed the satellite communications partnership in August 2009, intending to provide customers with a single platform for delivering critical communications services.

On Aug. 24, they announced a second set of indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contracts for the satellite services. GSA and DISA awarded Custom Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Solutions (CS2) contract to eight businesses. It’s part of the Future Commercial Satellite Communications (COMSATCOM) Services Acquisition (FCSA) program. The program is designed to allow agencies to buy customized, customer-defined solutions that include satellite bandwidth, teleport access, and network management. Their program also allows agencies to purchase the equipment needed for satellite communications, and engineering support such as integration, operations, and maintenance.

“The FCSA program demonstrates how GSA’s focus on collaboration with our customers has led to a solution that makes it easier and more affordable for federal agencies to get secure satellite services on an as-needed basis,” said Mary Davie, GSA’s acting Federal Acquisition Service commissioner.

The new IDIQ contract gives rounds out the program.

“The award of the final FCSA end-to-end service area completes the new business model and positions us to acquire comprehensive, technically superior and cost-effective COMSATCOM services in a more competitive manner for partners,” David Simpson, DISA vice director and rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, said in a statement.

The award completes the new business model and positions the government "to acquire comprehensive, technically superior and cost-effective [satellite] services in a more competitive manner for partners,” Rear Adm. David Simpson, DISA vice director, said in a statement.

CS2 awardees are:

Americom Government Services

ARTEL

DRS Technical Services.

Hughes Network Systems.

Intelsat General Corp.

Segovia.

Telecommunication Systems.

Vizada.

The CS2 contracts have five-year contract period and ceiling of $2.6 billion. GSA and DISA announced awards for the companion CS2-SB small business contracts for smaller scale end-to-end solutions and professional satellite support services earlier this year.

About the Author

Matthew Weigelt is a freelance journalist who writes about acquisition and procurement.